Services in Church - What you need to know

Unless you are exempt*, wearing a face covering
​is a legal requirement in our churches and our church halls

Before you come:

Make sure you bring your face covering
Face coverings are not a replacement for physical distancing and regular hand washing/sanitizing.'
 

• ​Please stay away if you have COVID19 symptoms
• (a continuous cough a high temperature or a loss of taste or smell).
• We will do our very best to make sure we can accommodate you for a service but regret that if more people turn up than we have space to safely seat we may have to turn you away.
• Toilets are limited to the accessible (disabled) toilet.
• The equipment in the children's corner has been removed
• Singing is not permitted
• Sadly - we are unable to offer our usual refreshments

As you arrive:

• If there is a short delay on entry, please observe social distancing and queue up the ramp (COR) or along the front path (St Andrew's).
• Clean your hands with the hand sanitizer on entry.
• There is nothing to collect on entry it is all on your seat.
• The collecting plate will be at the back 
• Please fill up seats from the front of church.
• Please do not move the chairs.

During the service:

• At the peace we ask you to remain in your place and limit your movement to turning to look at others without moving around.

At a Eucharist:

On the advice of the National Church Group, each communicant is encouraged to sanitise their hands before and after removing their face covering to receive the bread, and before and after putting it on again.
​  

• At the administration the priest will wear a face covering and a full face visor for your protection​ as you will be closer to them than two metres.
• As the administration of the bread begins the priest will say to all ‘The body of Christ’​ and will not say it individually to you.
• You may find it easier to take your wafer back to your seat and remove your face covering and replace it.
• As you come to receive  follow the blue arrows on the floor and keep 2 metres away from others waiting.
• The priest will drop the wafer into your hand. (If either of you accidently touch each other’s hand then both should again sanitize their hands as soon as possible.)
• Return to your seat using the route that avoids you having to pass people waiting to receive.

As you leave:

• Let those nearer the back of church leave before you
• Take all papers on your seat with you - it will save others having to handle them.
• Clean your hands with the hand sanitizer as you leave.​

 
​* Who is exempt from wearing a face covering?

You do not need to wear a face covering if you have a legitimate reason not to.

This includes:
• young children under the age of 11
• not being able to put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or
​   impairment, or disability
• if putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress
• if you are travelling with or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading to communicate
• to avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to yourself or others
• to avoid injury, or to escape a risk of harm, and you do not have a face covering with you
• to eat or drink, but only if you need to
• to take medication
• if a police officer or other official requests you remove your face covering

There are also scenarios when you are permitted to remove a face covering when asked:

​• If speaking with people who rely on lip reading, facial expressions and clear sound. Some may ask you,         either verbally or in writing, to remove a covering to help with communication.